


A Single Thread (in a Tapestry )

by madain_sari



Category: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Grandmas are Great, Korean Food, minor racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-25 01:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17715341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madain_sari/pseuds/madain_sari
Summary: Miles befriends Ganke and Judges Peter B and MJ. Not necessarily in that order.





	A Single Thread (in a Tapestry )

"My biggest mistake? Not letting MJ and Aunt May in sooner," Peter said, emphasizing his point by waving his chip around. "Gotta get that support network, Miles."

Miles nodded, thoughtfully bit into the spicy plantain chips he has on his hands. Rio had sent Miles back to school with a few packages of his local bodega's plantain chips, which he was sharing with Peter. They were just hanging out on a nondescript glass building overlooking Brooklyn. The contractors and workers has finished their jobs but the skyscraper was yet to open.  

Sometimes Peter B and Miles would just shoot the shit and talk about nothing. One of the topics they talked about was their worlds' differences. Koca Soda in Peter's world was Coca Cola, Steven Universe was his universe's version of Nora Universe, and Michelle Obama didn't run for president in Peter's world. Peter had been so bummed out about finding that Michelle Obama is the president in Miles' world. 

Peter turned to Miles, "Think about telling your folks, Miles."

"Mmm", Miles hummed, expression neutral.

Miles appreciated the advice, but  honestly, knowing his father's track record with Spiderman, he would rather wait and see. Though, he had been a tad more supportive since he debuted as New Spiderman. Briefly he wondered if his father knew. Mentally he tracked all his interaction. They hadn't really interacted as Father and Son a lot  recently. The Fisk case had, unsurprisingly dragged on for awhile. He didn't quite know the full details but he had had to come to his father's precinct multiple times a week as Spiderman. He was very careful and had immediately gone when interrogation was finished. But was he though? 

"--but in my opinion, brooding hills are overrated."

What exactly are brooding hills? Did his  New York even have one? Miles was buried so deep in his own thoughts that he missed a chunk of Peter's monologue.

"Mmm." Miles repeated, hoping that Peter won't notice.

Sensing Miles' disinterest Peter changed the subject.  "How have you been, kid?"

Miles shrugged. "Okay I guess, Doc Oc helped me finish my physics essay the other week."

"How?!" Peter said mid-bite. He ended up coughing some of the chips he ingested.

"I dunno? We were fighting and suddenly we weren't? I took notes on her latest device and she just...got curious. You know she's like a celebrity scientist here? Used to have a show on PBC when I was a kid?"

"What," said Peter flatly.

"Then she tried to encourage me to pursue STEM, which was sweet but, I dunno man." Miles said, rolling his eyes. "It seems like scientists only get funding from the military or shady ass people like Wilson Fisk."  
Peter looked at him and shook his head. He sighed. "Your world is weird," Peter concluded.  " I can't imagine wrestling Neil DeGrasse Tyson at all."

Miles just shrugged. It is what it is.

"But, you know, NASA isn't so bad," Peter paused before continuing, "Unless they are planning on invading planets in this universe."

"They're not," Miles confirmed, amused.

"And teaching isn't so bad either, kid." Peter grinned and pat Miles' back with his clean hand,  "Hey, maybe you can even be Oc's replacement on PBC."

"I dunno man, I also wanna go to New York School of Visual Arts?"

"Ahh college, a four-year game show called Do My Friends Hate Me or Do I Just Need to Go to Sleep? But instead of winning money, you lose $120,000,"  Peter commented.

"Are you quoting John Mulaney?" Miles asked, laughing.

"He's not wrong though," Peter grinned. 

They both shared a laugh before lapsing into silence. The sun was just setting, bathing everything in pinks and purples.  They both could see cars running below them, trains passing in and out of view and people milling about. It was beautiful. 

"Advice no. 78," Peter said, taking a fistful of chips and shoving it down his gaping maw, "eat whatever you are given, as Spidey"

Miles laughed, "You're saying that because you're like, the freaking Hungry Caterpillar!" 

"Trust me, on this kid," Peter said in between crunches. "Everyone likes food,"

"Yeah, to live!" 

"No, Miles--" Peter's speech was interrupted by a telltale ringtone. "MJ!" he said, face blossoming into a big smile. 

Miles was glad Peter got it worked out with his wife.  These days he looked happier. He still wore sweatpants to this universe but Miles noticed he finally washed his trench coat and his shoes matched more often than not. 

"No, no, I'm with Miles. Of course, babe," Peter extended his goober enhanced phone to Miles' face.  "She wants to say hi."

"The famous Miles!" said MJ, her voice chipper and upbeat. "Heard a lot about you, kid." 

"Heeey?" Miles said. What do you say to your mentor's previously estranged but now reconciled wife you've never met?

"He hasn't given you trouble has he?"

"No, no not at all."

"Well, if he is, you have my permission to kick his ass," MJ said, cheekily. "Make him ditch the sweatpants, will you," she said, loud enough for Peter to hear. Miles could see why Peter fell head over heels with her. 

"Oh Ha ha ha," Peter said sarcastically, though his  face still sported the goofiest grin Miles had ever seen. He gestured for Miles to return his phone. 

"Ok, ok. Right. See you in 10. Love you, " Peter turned to Miles. "Duty calls and all that."

Miles threw him an unopened bag of the plantain chips. Peter caught it with his webbing.

"Thanks, MJ would probably eat this with some caramel sauce."

"Ew. Is this why y'all are married? Shit food taste?"   Miles commented. Internally he shuddered. Why MJ? 

"Watch it pal," said Peter mock-angry."That is my wife you are talking about!" Miles rolled his eyes.   Peter twisted his goober watch, "See you next week?"

"See you next week." 

A portal opened and swallowed Peter.

Miles packed up and swung back to his dorm.

* * *

 

He landed in Visions just before curfew. He knocked on the window. Ganke absentmindedly opened the window as he typed things in his laptop. 

"Sup," he greeted.

"Nothin' much." Ganke replied, still busy doing his own thing. 

He has been trying to get to know his roomate better. To his credit, Ganke calmly accepted everything Miles had told him. But everything is still in that 'ok I guess I know your name and who you are but we still don't know much about each other zone'.

Miles took off his mask and slid to his top bunk, turning on his laptop.

"Did you finish Petersen's essay?" he asked Ganke

"Almost done,"

"Want some plaintain chips?"

"I'm okay."

Suddenly Ganke's phone was ringing. 

" _Halmeoni_? Yeah, I'm fine, uh no! No-!" 

Suddenly the conversation switched to a rapid-paced Korean with wildly fluctuating tones. Miles avoided his gaze purposefully. He's been there. Three minutes later, a wilted looking Ganke dramatically threw his back to the chair.

"You ok?"

Ganke didn't respond.

Miles waited.

"Dude," Ganke said, sounding defeated. "Sorry if-"

"Sorry for what?" 

"Look, Halmeoni is gonna drop by and she's bringing food, and like maybe-"

" _Halmeoni_ is...Grandmother?"

"Yea, wow, props for knowing."

"That's a problem why?"

"I just...long story, Miles."

Miles flipped to the wall and sat lotus-style, facing Ganke. 

"We got time."

Ganke settled down and took a deep breath, "So like, my parents right, they're really big on education. They've always tried to send me to these, elite private schools," the words, elite private school clanging sarcastically from Ganke's mouth. 

"Wow we are salty today."

"We'll get to that."

 "Okay, okay," Miles said placatingly.

"So I've always gone to these schools since I was a kid, right?" 

Miles nodded, "Like Vision?"

"Kinda. But much whiter. And in Connecticut."

"Okay."

"To pay for it, my parents worked their asses off, so they're not around that much. Just me and _Halmeoni_ most of the time. A lot of the time, _Halmeoni_ would pack me lunch every day. Korean food."

Miles looked at Ganke blankly. "I don't see any problems, my mom packs me lunches too." 

"As in, _gimbap, japchae, paje_ -you don't even understand anything I'm saying are you?"

Miles shook his head. 

"But there's a K-Town in New York!"

"Yeah, and it's not like I can just gallivant around town freely before," Miles gestured towards his Spidey suit. "This."

Ganke nodded, "Did you ever get made fun of because of your packed lunches?"

"Can't say I have.  Lotta people like me in my old school."

"As in African Americans or Latinos?"

"Pretty much."

"Lucky," Ganke said bitterly. "Wish I were you, Morales."

"So what happened in your old school?"

"Most of the time I was the only Asian in these schools. I'd bring these Korean packed lunches and every day I would get bullied for having "stinky weird food" , and even when I convinced _Halmeoni_ to pack me American food, they would still say it's tainted by my gross smelly cooties," Ganke sighed. He hung his head down, "Then they made a game out of it when I was in middle school. See if the girls would touch the 'stinky ching chong'. It sucks."

"That's...rough, " Miles said, not sure if touching his roomate's back was okay. 

"Yeah well," Ganke said, rolling his shoulders. "Now the coolest spot in my block is some hipster Korean fusion cafe."  

"By a white dude, possibly named Brad? Or Chad."

"Mads, actually."

"Ooooohhh he's an exotic foreign white guy," said Miles, affecting a bad British accent.

"Yeeep." 

"Let me guess, your old bullies love that place? " 

Ganke  humorlessly laughed. "It's all over their insta, man."

"That fucking sucks, " Miles commented.

"Yeah it does," said Ganke, agreeing with him. "So like, please be cool about it ok? I know _Halmeoni_ probably worked her ass off all day just to make me all the stuff she's bringing." 

"Ganke, listen, tho, if I know anything, grandmas makes  the best food in the world, okay?"

Ganke didn't reply. He scrutinised Miles' face.

"So bring it on, man, I-heck we could use more food around here."

"What if it 'stinks up the whole place'?" Ganke quietly asked, almost a whisper. He avoided Miles' gaze

"Who cares about that? You're getting your grandma's food, and that's amazing!"

Slowly, Ganke looked up and smiled. "You mean it, Morales?"

"Si, _Señor Lee_."

There was something in the air that feels like a weight has been lifted. Ganke extended a fist towards Miles. 

"You know what, Spiderman, you are cool."

Miles returned the fist bump, " _A su servicio_ , citizen." 

Ganke's phone rang. "Speak of the devil. You probably should come with me,  I'd need some help bringing it up."

Miles unstuck himself from the wall and reached for the door. Before he could go far, Ganke pointed at Miles' spray painted Spiderman costume. Miles quickly slapped on a black shirt with a text saying "The Remix" and some jeans short lying on the floor.

They walked downstairs in silence until they reach the same entrance where his Dad has forcibly asked him to say I love you back.  There was a parked sedan in front and a small lady was exiting the driver's seat. Ganke ran towards her immediately. Miles kept a small distance away from the two.

Ganke's grandmother was tiny. She came up to Ganke's chest and she was very animated. Her face lit up when she saw her grandson and she immediately assaulted him with  two tupperware and two bags of food. At the same time, she pinched Ganke's cheeks and spoke in rapid fire Korean cooing over her grandson.  Miles could hear snippets of English words like happy, friend, and okay. Ganke quietly took the cheek pinching like a champion and gestured towards Miles. Miles smiled and picked up the bags.

"You must be Miles." she deduced. "My grandson's roomate." Her tone was neutral, her expressions are more schooled in when she started talking to Miles.

"Hello, uh.." he said fumbling a bit 

"How is my grandson, " she asked interrupting whatever he was going to say.

Miles grinned, "He's great."

She nodded thoughtfully before continuing, "I hope you can be good friends with our boy."

"Of course," Miles answered, smiling, looking at Ganke. "He's kinda awesome,  he's been helping me." Then he remembered what he was going to say  and tentatively spoke, _"Lee Ajumma?"_

Ganke looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

" _Mami_ watches Korean soaps sometimes," Miles explained. 

Ganke's grandmother's face lit back up and she spoke to Ganke even faster in a higher pitched and more excited tone. Ganke talked back to her but it looked like he was losing an argument. Miles noted that he didn't look upset, just resigned and amused.

She turned to Miles and said "I will bring you food next week," in a very serious and determined voice. "You tell me what you like and I'll cook them!"

"Sure ?"

"Okay!" she said. " _Halmeoni_ has to go now, okay? Long drive." She pinched Ganke's cheeks before she left. "Take care now!"  The small woman entered her car and left.

"What was that about?" 

"I think she's just really happy I made a friend," Ganke commented, carefully carrying the two large tupperware with him. It was filled to the brim with _Galbi -jim_.

"Man, so am I," Miles replied. He poked Ganke's shoulder with his free hand and was rewarded with a similar poke to his shoulder.

The two walked back to the dorm  in contented silence.

* * *

The next month, Ganke's grandmother packed them 5 tupperware full of cooked food, a box full of instant noodles and spam,  an ice box full of yakult, ice cream sandwich, banana milk and chopped cantaloupes and somehow she also managed to pack them a small hotpot and a tiny tin pot, which were all very illegal in the Visions dormitory 'in case they wanted hot midnight snacks'.

"Oh my God," Miles exclaimed in horrified wonder. 

"Dude, you broke _halmeoni_ , " Ganke commented, amused.

"Do you think we can finish this?"

Ganke shook his head vigorously.

"I'll call the Spider Folks."

 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic bc I love food and I like that Miles subconsciously is making everyone a better person and have a better day.
> 
> This is fic happened before It Takes a Village, you don't need to read it.  And yes, MJ is pregnant but neither of them know about it yet.
> 
> I wanted to write them scarfing down food but it seems moot.  And yes, Neil DeGrasse Tyson used to wrestle actually.
> 
> Lastly the song title is based on Prince of Egypt's best song, Through Heaven's Eyes


End file.
